Even Heros Have Problems
by feanor
Summary: Harry has fallen into a dangerous habit. Who can save the great hero from himself? His Friends? Surely not Draco!
1. In the dead of night

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, his friends, enemies and all respective items and characters (beasts or beings) from the novels and novellas of J. K. Rowling are hers by moral right and legal copyright. All new creations are my own fictions by moral right.

Harry has fallen into a dangerous habit. Who can save the great hero from himself? His Friends? Surely not Draco! 

In memory of my Uncle Bill. He overcame his own problem to help others with theirs. 

Note: Unless I get heaps of reviews I won't bother writing more.

**Even Heroes have problems**

**Chapter 1 - In the dead of night.**

The castle was quiet. It was past midnight and all students were asleep in their beds. Well except for two anyway. Draco lay in wait and his quarry was approaching.

Harry had made sure the corridor was clear before he removed the invisibility cloak. Harry was in and out of the hospital in seconds. No one would ever know it was gone. Harry had the cloak back on and invisible to the world, he moved back the way he had come.

'ACCIO CLOAK' 

Harry's cloak was whipped off him and flew back down the corridor. Harry spun around.

'Malfoy!'

'Nice evening for a stroll isn't it, Potter.' Draco replied smugly.

'What do you want, Malfoy?' Harry was annoyed and embarrassed at being found out.

'I want the potion, Potter.' Draco said

'NO… I don't know what you're talking about.' Harry's head was buzzing as he tried to think of how to get away.

'The dreamless sleep potion, Potter. The bottle you are hiding behind your back. Give it to me.' Draco's voice was level, almost emotionless.

Harry has horrified. 'NO.. No you can't have it. I need it.'

'Hand it over Potter or else.' Draco held his wand threateningly.

Harry panicked and tried to run, to get away but he was hit with a jelly legs curse and fell to the floor, the bottle of dreamless sleep potion chattering along the corridor as it slipped from his hand.

'ACCIO Bottle' Draco summoned the potion bottle into his hand and looked down at the once great wizard who lay crying on the floor.

'Please I can't sleep without it. The dreams... I need it please. I'll do anything! Please give it back.' Harry sobbed.

Draco signed. This was a side of Harry Potter that Draco had not seen before. It was not very attractive. If anyone else had seen it, Harry would be finished at Hogwarts. Draco knew his fellow students did not tolerate such behaviour. 

He turned and as quickly as Harry had taken the dreamless sleep potion, Draco had replaced it. He then dragged Harry to his feet and with the invisibility cloak over them both carried Harry back along the corridor.


	2. Back in the tower

**Chapter 2 - Back in the tower.**

'Weasley WAKE UP!' 

Ron was in the midst of a beautiful dream. He was removing Hermoines robes as she smiled at him. 

'Weasley WAKE UP!' That voice again. Ron opened his sleep filled eyes and tried to focus. 

'Aaarh What.. What are you doing here, Malfoy?' Ron spat at Draco who was shaking him awake.

'Just listen, Potter needs you. NOW! Weasley NOW!'

'Harry.. What's wrong with Harry?' Ron replied, now wide-awake and in fear for his friend.

'Just keep an eye on him till morning. Don't let him out of bed till then. Stay awake Weasley or Potter may do something stupid.' Draco replied and then he was gone.

Ron got out of his bed and went over to Harry's. Harry was lying there curled up into a ball, head almost between his knees. Ron thought he heard a sob.

'Harry mate, what's up? Why was Malfoy in our tower? What's happened?'

Ron got no answer. He spent the rest of the night sitting on the chair besides Harry's bed.


	3. The Meeting

**Chapter 3 - The Meeting.**

'Follow me, Potter!' Draco said as he passed Harry in the Great Hall after breakfast. It was Sunday, so there were no classes today.

'Why the hell should I do that, you bastard?' snapped Harry. Harry looked almost a bad as he felt.

'Follow me or perhaps the whole school will find out about last night.' Draco replied evilly.

Harry had no choice but to comply. Draco acted as if Harry didn't exist as he left the Great Hall and headed up the stairs. Following, Harry finally came to one of the classroom that should be empty today. Harry, fearing some sort of trap, peeked inside. Quite a few people occupied the room. Harry recognised a number of students, some older, some younger than himself. Harry entered and saw Malfoy indicate an empty chair next to his. Harry sat down next to Draco unsure of what was going on.

'Who would like to start us off today?' A sixth year Ravenclaw asked the group.

Draco stood and said 'My name is Draco and I am an addict….'

Harry knew what this meeting was now.


	4. Magical Anomymous

**Chapter 4 - Magical Anonymous.**

'My name is Harry and I'm not sure I should be here. Malfoy…'

'Harry we only use first names here OK' said the sixth year Ravenclaw interrupting Harry. He seemed to be chairing this meeting of Magical Anonymous.

'Sorry. I guess I mean Draco then. Draco caught me stealing dreamless sleep potion from the hospital wing. I've been using it to stop the dreams of last year. I can't sleep without it. It's not that I'm addicted to it or anything. I just need it to sleep. So that's my story. Thanks'

'Harry, the only one who can decide if you are an addict or not is you. But may I suggest you try to give up taking the potion for 7 days. If you can't do that perhaps you need our help after all.' The Ravenclaw student said kindly.

The meeting broke up and Harry was about to slip out when Draco cornered him. 

'Harry, that potion isn't meant for long term use. You have to deal with your dreams of you-know-who. I know how hard that is. You are not the only one to have looked into those red slit eyes. If you ever need to talk…' Draco's voice trailed off at the end. 

Harry didn't reply. It was too much to take in, especially as he hadn't slept last night. He just turned and fled the classroom. He couldn't stop thinking about what they had said. Seven days without the potion. Not a pleasant thought but he was sure he could do it. One week! How hard could that be? He made up his mind. He would do it. Prove to them he wasn't an addict.


	5. Defeat

**Chapter 5 - Defeat.**

It had been four days. Four days of living hell. Sleep had not come easily without the potion. And the dreams were bad enough at times to have Harry wake screaming. He had put a silencing charm around his bed at night to stop the screams waking his friends. 

Each day he went from class to class looking half dead. The bags under his eyes were getting larger. Once in potions class he had drifted off to sleep whilst Snape was busy berating Neville over his latest accident. He had dreamed of the cemetery again and of Diggery's dead eyes staring at him, accusing him. He woke in class screaming. Everyone in class, even Snape looked scared except Draco who watched calmly and nodded in Harry's direction.

The dreams were starting to subside but the desire for the potion had not. Harry thought about it all the time. Just a little sip and he would be alright he would think to himself in moments of weakness and then he would have to will the desire down.

Ron and Hermoine had tried to help but Harry could not bring himself to tell them. He hated himself for being weak. He was at his wits end. He knew what he must do but he was scared. More scared than he had been facing Voldemort. This was bigger than he could handle.


	6. The long road ahead

**Chapter 6 - The long road ahead**

'Hi My name is Harry and I am an addict….'

'Hi Harry' the others said in response. Draco smiled at Harry. A rare event.

'I haven't taken the potion in five days now and I don't know if I can hold out any more. I need help.' Harry went on.

'Don't worry Harry, we'll help you help yourself' Draco replied with the assent of everyone present.

Harry felt a little better. At least these people he could talk to…


	7. Notes

Disclaimer: Harry Potter, his friends, enemies and all respective items and characters (beasts or beings) from the novels and novellas of J. K. Rowling are hers by moral right and legal copyright. All new creations are my own fictions by moral right.

**AUTHORS NOTES**

Even good people like Harry (and my late Uncle Bill) can fall into addiction. But luckily AA and similar organisations are there to help.

Short chapters in this story but that was a deliberate attempt to stop from getting too wordy.

Please review; as I need all the help I can get in working out what's good and bad in my storytelling.

Go ahead; be critical, I can take it!

Thanks to 

Naomi SilverWolf - I honoured by your praise for my "original" plot.

Danu40k - I know what you mean. I wrote this story in memory of my Uncle Bill, an alcoholic who finally stopped after the family stopped bailing him out of trouble and went on to become a councillor for others in AA. He died a few years ago of liver cancer.

candledot - Did I add enough?


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